Gravel washer and separator



(No Model.)

v F. T. GILBERT.

GrRAVEL WASHER AND SEPARATOR'.

Patented Jan. 3,v 1893.

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UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN T. GILBERT, OF WALLA WALLA, ASSIGNOR TO SUSIE M. R. GILBERT, OFSEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

GRAVEL WASHER vAND SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,378, dated January3, 1893.

Application filed January 20, 1892. Serial No. 418,712. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN T. GILBERT, residing at Walla Walla, in thecounty of Walla Walla and State of. Washington, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Gravel Washers and Separators, of whichthe following is a specification.

My present invention which relates to gravel Washers, refers moreparticularly to improvements on my patent No. 468,197, and it has forits object to provide a machine in which the mixed water and gravel iscaused to pass through a series of screens of different mesh, whereby toseparate the gravel from the water and the coarser from the ner grades.

It also has for its object to provide means for discharging a second andclear current of water that will give the material treated, both aiiushing or second grading and washing treatment for each grade byitself, before it is nally discharged into the loins arranged to receiveit.

To these ends my invention consists in the peculiar combination andnovel arrangement of parts all of which hereinafter will be fullydescribed in the specication and pointed out in the claims, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure lis a perspectiveview of my improved gravel washer. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the same. Eig. 3 is a detail horizontal section taken on theline 3-3, Eig.2, and Fig. 4is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2. In the accompanying drawings, A, indicates a main frame which isformed with a series of bins cto. a2, which are arranged to receive thedifferent grades of gravel in the manner hereinafter described and suchbins are provided each with a cut off slide 01.4, whereby the contentsthereof may be readily discharged into a car as shown in Fig. 1in thedrawings. The several bins are of different sizes, the rear one of,being vthe largest to receive the coarser gravel, the center `one a theintermediate size of gravel and the front one a2 the iiner particles.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 2 that the upper ends of thebins are stepped to accommodate the several screening devices, the

construction of Which is most clearly shown in Fig. 2 and which consistsof the troughs B B B2 the upper one B of which forms a receiving troughwhich leads the mixed water and gravel from the receiving hopper C intothe first screening trough B which is in the nature of a rectangular boxhaving a closed bottom b, closed forwardend b and an open rear end b2,bottom o ending however at a point in advance of the rear end of theside walls b3 to form a discharge opening h4 as clearly shown. Thesecond trough B2 has its forward or closed end extended over the bin ato a point under the end of the trough B, while the trough B2 issimilarly situated over the bin a its open end being disposed over thebin a2 and arranged to discharge such mixed Water and gravel as mayenter it from the trough B onto a revolving screen B4 presentlydescribed.

D indicates a separating screen hinged at its lower end to the upperedge of the closed end of the trough B', and D', a similar screen hingedto the closed end of the trough B2, such screens being of adifferent'mesh and extended up in front of the discharge ends of thetroughs B and B and connected with a shaker bar II, which is connectedwith a bell crank h which is intermittently operated by a pitman hconnected with andoperated by the cam wheel J on the shaft f of thewater wheel F which is journaled at the lower front end of the frameoperated by the waste water which passes onto it from the troughs in amanner presently clearly set forth. It is manifest however that thewater wheel can be dispensed with and the several screen operateddevices operated by other suitable mechanical means.

By the construction so far as described it will be noticed that as themixed clay, water and gravel passes down from the fiume J into thehopper C it will enter the trough B and be discharged therefrom throughthe first screen D,which being of a large mesh serves to retard thecoarser gravel and separate it from the finer gravel, which passesthrough such screen into the trough B and from such trough it is carriedto the screen D which serves to separate the intermediate size of gravelfrom the water, the finer particles then passing with the water throughsuch screen into the trough B2 from which they are discharged onto arotary screen B4, which being of a very tine mesh serves to effectuallyseparate all of the remaining gravel from the water.

It should be stated that the object in using a rotary screen forseparating the fine gravel from the water is, that from practicalexperience I have found that while the screens D D arranged as shownserve to separate the larger gravel when they are of a very fine meshthey soon become clogged and choked up and retard the ready discharge ofthe mixed clay, sand and water. The rotary screen however, owing to itslarge screening area and its rotary motion serves to throw off thegravel to one side and thereby prevents the possibility of choking themeshes thereof.

The screen B4 is mounted on a shaft b5 which is belted with a countershaftI on the frame A, which in turn is belted o1' geared with the shaftf, of the water wheel F.

The screen B" has one of its ends open into which extends a chute B5,which catches the Water from the trough B2 and leads it against a plateK which deflects it against the water wheel F in a mannerclearlyunderstood from Fig. 2 of the drawings. It will be also noticedthat the rear ends of the troughs BB2 extend a short distance under thedischarge ends of the troughs B B respectively, and the screens D D arecurved as at Z d and such curved portions extend under the openings l)4of the troughs and serve to receive the gravel as it falls from the saidtroughs, thereby preventing the escape of any of the finer particleswhich might otherwise fall down in front of the screens.

Having thus described the first means for separating and washing theseveral grades of gravel I will now describe the means for a secondtreatment, by which a more thorough grading and cleaning of the materialtreated, is obtained before it falls into the several receiving bins.

L indicates a tank for holding clean water formed with a discharge pipeL which has laterals Z Z projected in front of the screens D D at apoint below the discharge openings b4 of the troughs, such lateralshaving slits Z2 Z2 through which the clean water is discharged in acontinuous sheet. The tank L is also formed with a branch L2 slitted onits under face which projects over the rotary screen and discharges asheet of water through such screen. By thus providing a source of cleanwater supply and arranging the laterals as described it will be noticedthat as the several grades of gravel are separated they will passthrough the sheet of clean water and be freed from any sand, dirt orforeign matter that may be in engagement therewith7 and as the clearwater is discharged through the screens in a continuous sheet, it alsoserves to drive the finer particles through the coarser screens andassists in keeping them clean.

lVhen my improved screening machine is not used in connection with agravel and water fiume or sluice, water is supplied to the hopper Cdirect from the tank L which is formed with a cock Z3 which extends intothe said hopper, as clearly shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent-is- 1. In a gravel screening and separating machine, incombination, two or more troughs arranged to successively receive themixed water and gravel, screens interposed between such troughs againstwhich the mixed water and gravel is discharged, and a fresh waterconductor, arranged to discharge a separate and unbroken water sheetagainst the said screens at a point below the feed of the mixed waterand gravel whereby to intercept the separated or deflected gravel, andto assist in forcing the smaller particles through such screenssubstantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a gravel screening and grading machine, in combination, a sourceof mixed water and gravel supply, a rotary screen arranged to receivethe water and gravel on its outer face, and a fresh water conductorarranged and constructed to discharge an unbroken water sheet againstsuch screen, and to intercept the separated material as it is deflectedby the said screen substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the main frame, the troughs B, B', B2, eachformed with a closed rear end and an open front end, said troughs havingtheir front ends shortened as at b4, the rear end of one trough beingdisposed under the discharge end of the preceding trough, of the screensD D', hinged at their lower ends to the closed ends of the troughs andformed with curved portions CZ extended under the shortened ends b4, andwith upwardly extending portions projected over the discharge ends ofthe troughs and means for vibrating such screens substantially as andfor the purpose described.

4. The combination, with the main frame, the hopper C, the troughs B, BB2, the vibratory screens D D2, the rotary screen B4, the chute B5,water wheel F and the intermediate devices for operating the screens DD2, and B4, connected with such screens and the water wheel F, of thewater supply L,having a feed cock Z3, arranged to discharge into thehopper C and provided with a feed pipe L', having slitted laterals Z Z2,all arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

5. A gravel screening and grading machine comprising a source of mixedwater and gravel supply, vibratory screens arranged to intercept andsuccessively separate the gravel from the water, a rotary screenarranged to receive IOC the partially separated mixed water and gravelsupply from the vibratory screens, a fresh Water conductor or pipe,having slotted laterals projected and arranged to discharge an unbrokenWater sheet against the several screens and at a point to intercept theseparated material as it is deilected from such screens, and means forimparting the proper motions to the vibratory and rotary screens all asand for the purposes set forth.

FRANKLIN T. GILBERT. Witnesses:

FRED G. DIETERICH, SoLoN C. KEMON.

